I'm recently returned to shooting and hunting after a 14 year break. Things have changed some, prices and equipment have changed alot.

I've always used Hoppes or Outers aluminum or brass three piece cleaning rods. These days I hear that I should be using a bore guide to avoid causing undue wear on the rifling. This seems odd to me because for one thing I'm quite certain aluminum and brass are a bit softer than steel. For another thing copper which is harder than either gets fired through the barrel with what has to be thousands of time more force. I would think that you could cause a little localized fouling is all. Of course I suppose the rod could drag abrasive materials along the rifling, but the bullet does too once the first round leaves burnt powder behind.

Before anyone schools me on this subject, I do plan on buying bore guides and better cleaning rods in the future probably through Sinclair. I just wonder how many older shooters here still do it the old way. Seems to me there are probably plenty of very old rifles that were cleaned without a guide many times that are still as accurate as ever.

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"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." The Dalai Llama (5/15/01, The Seattle Times)
"That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." George Orwell

Crud gets embedded in the softer metals, and causes problems. Aluminum also has nasties with aluminum oxide, which can wear irregularities pretty fast. When you talk to Sinclair, if it's Geoff or Steve, tell 'em Bogie said hi...

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Job hunting, but helping a friend out at www.vikingmachineusa.com - and learning the finer aspects of becoming a precision machinist.

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